(じゃけん)

じゃけん
adjective-na
harsh; unkind; cold-hearted (in treatment)
1. harsh; unkind; cold-hearted (in treatment)
Treating someone in a cold, dismissive, or unkind manner. Describes behavior toward others rather than personality in general.
邪険(じゃけん)(あつか)う。
To treat someone harshly.
子供(こども)邪険(じゃけん)にしてはいけない。
You must not treat children unkindly.
せっかく(たず)ねてきた(きゃく)邪険(じゃけん)()(かえ)すわけにはいかない。
I can't just coldly turn away a guest who went out of their way to visit.

USAGE:
邪険(じゃけん) almost always appears in the pattern 邪険(じゃけん)に + verb, functioning adverbially. It describes cold or dismissive treatment of a person.

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 邪険(じゃけん)(あつか)う (to treat harshly)
  • 邪険(じゃけん)にする (to be unkind to)
  • 邪険(じゃけん)()(はら)う (to coldly chase away)

NUANCE:
邪険(じゃけん) focuses specifically on treatment of people, implying the speaker feels the harshness is unjustified or excessive. It is not used to describe objects or situations.